It pays to listen to The Coupon Queen
Wednesday, 25 July 2007

Robert Shearon
They call her “The Coupon Queen.” At least, that’s what my kids call her.
I married TCQ six years ago. Until I met her, I had never, ever, in my life used a coupon for anything.
I also only had one pair of shoes, but that’s another story.
TCQ marveled at this, and finally took me shopping to show me how it all worked.
When we got to the checkout counter she presented the clerk with a fistful of coupons and we left, having paid 30 cents on the dollar for our groceries. Neat.
I’ve seen her save even more. When area dollar stores offer double coupons, she’ll check for items that are also on sale and frequently come away with a number of free items. She’s even had a couple of clerks express admiration for her savings ability.
The savings don’t always end at the checkout counter. Once she gets home, she pores over the receipt, and if she finds an error, she makes the store pay the difference the next time she goes in.
Because she has such a keen nose for prices, she spots mistakes pretty quickly. Lately, she has noted, the mistakes are coming fast and furiously. She suggested we keep a journal.
For instance, we went to a chicken restaurant and presented a coupon for two meals that were $3 each.
The clerk asked me for a tad over $10, which I handed over (TCQ was washing her hands). My brain kicked in about the time she handed me my change, and I asked her how she got a $10 charge out of two $3 meals.
This did not compute and the manager finally had to come over and fix it.
Sometimes the help catches me in an error. At a Tex-Mex restaurant on Sunday, TCQ gave me a coupon and sent me to pay for lunch. The clerk rang the order up and I pulled out my wallet to pay, all the while holding the coupon in my left hand. The clerk gave me a funny look, then asked, “Are you going to use that coupon?” I quickly handed her the coupon.
At a hamburger joint, we turned in a coupon good for one free burger with the purchase of another. They charged us for neither. We ended up paying for our drinks, I think.
TCQ has also taught me to complain. Frequently that will result in free stuff, like food.
I was at a pizzeria the other day, having called in my order.
I walked in about half an hour later, and I was the only customer in the place (there were only two others) that hadn’t been waited on.
I stood there. And stood there. And stood there. No one acknowledged my presence.
I made sarcastic remarks to one of the other customers about the service. Still no response. There was a young man sitting behind the counter reading something, maybe a work schedule. He’d look up every few seconds and I would give him my best middle-aged-man glare. He finally got tired of that and went to the back of store — without ever acknowledging my presence.
I finally looked behind the counter and saw my order sitting there, boxed up and ready to go.
I went behind the counter and picked it up, trying to read the name to make sure it was mine.
This maneuver got their attention.
A young man asked me if he could help me.
“I don’t know,” I responded, forcing him to wait on me from the wrong side of the counter, “You haven’t seemed inclined to so far.”
I made him verify it was my order before I allowed him behind the counter. I walked around to the front, paid for my order and left.
TCQ thought it was all pretty funny. She encouraged me to call the complaint line listed on the box, as it would probably result in getting free food.
So I did. And we got a coupon for $15 in free food. Shazam!
And, the next time I went in the restaurant, I got great service.
It pays to listen to The Coupon Queen.

good article and oh so true!! as working in the food industry myself we want our customers not only happy but satisfied no matter what that means.

Yep I agree with you.